Cronenberg worked with Pattinson again? There must be something he sees in him that we don't.

Don't know what that could possibly be, Pattinson is one of the worst actors of all time, him being involved makes it extremely likely that the film is going to suck hard.

Agree with this. A blatent non-actor

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Sun Apr 13, 2014 4:55 am

Sexual Chocolate

Director

Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 4:04 pmPosts: 1754Location: New Hampshire

Re: General Movie News

Ken wrote:

Videodrome is great. The Fly is my favorite of his. Embarrassingly, I have yet to see Scanners.

Scanners is an interesting film. Not all of it hits the mark, but it tries to be more thoughtful than your typical horror film. I don't think it's his best of his early "body horror" films; that would be Videodrome, followed by The Brood. I'm also a fan of his later psychological films. I need to revisit Crash; the novel is excellent but it is unfilmable as it is written. As I recall, Cronenberg did alright with the material, but it didn't make the easiest transition to the screen. Naked Lunch falls into the same category; it's a little rocky, but I can't think of how else the novel could have been filmed. Which brings me to Spider. I loved it, absolutely loved it; it had a dark, uneasy vibe about it and a terrific performance by Ralph Feinnes. However, I would say that Spider is perhaps an acquired taste.

_________________Death is pretty finalI'm collecting vinylI'm gonna DJ at the end of the world.

Sun Apr 13, 2014 7:36 am

Mark III

Assistant Director

Joined: Sat Aug 04, 2012 5:43 pmPosts: 844

Re: General Movie News

Videodrome has interesting ideas, this why-would-they-try-this blend of Marshall McLuhan's theories and mind-body dichotomy, wrapped up in a wanting package. Ironic. As unpleasant as the movie is, as nauseating and frustrating and unpolished as it felt when I last saw it, it also feels very much like a specific zone, a place only Cronenberg can create. That's worth something. The commentary track on the DVD, the one with James Woods, is excellent and this further advocates for Videodrome staying.

I like Crash, a sincere stab at wrangling compelling narrative from post-modern fiction. This is something that only Cronenberg seems to be doing while boring old airport reads continue to rule the roost. This is really worth something. In fact, I love I lot of things about Crash: the surreal look of Toronto, as if its been emptied of all living souls; the identifiable loneliness of the major characters; the in-your-face characterization of the sexual confusion. This, then, is Cronenberg's perfect melding of ideas and carrier. Not a movie I would screen on popcorn night but, if we're talking about provocative ideas in a provocative package, Crash is the one to put on the mantel.

The Brood has the critique of psychotherapy and 70s-era pop psych pseudo-intellectualism but it's the worst of all the Cronenberg I've seen: badly acted and silly, reading as comic when it is meant to be terrifying. The cult of the guy thinks otherwise.

Dead Ringers is my favorite of all, the most human story of his told with the same analytical wit as Crash and all the rest of his essential First Wave filmography. His second wave, with A History of Violence and Eastern Promises, has been less interesting to me but that doesn't mean he's falling down at the job: who else would bother with Cosmopolis other than Cronenberg?

_________________"The Internet has given everybody in America a voice. For some reason, everybody decides to use that voice to bitch about movies." - Holden McNeil

Sun Apr 13, 2014 5:28 pm

Sexual Chocolate

Director

Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 4:04 pmPosts: 1754Location: New Hampshire

Re: General Movie News

Mark III wrote:

The Brood has the critique of psychotherapy and 70s-era pop psych pseudo-intellectualism but it's the worst of all the Cronenberg I've seen: badly acted and silly, reading as comic when it is meant to be terrifying. The cult of the guy thinks otherwise.

Viewed through the eyes of 1970s feminist thinking, The Brood is brilliant. Sure, some of the effects and ideas in the film are tied to their time, but that is what makes it such a curio for me. I would suggest giving it another chance.

_________________Death is pretty finalI'm collecting vinylI'm gonna DJ at the end of the world.

Sun Apr 13, 2014 5:34 pm

Mark III

Assistant Director

Joined: Sat Aug 04, 2012 5:43 pmPosts: 844

Re: General Movie News

Sexual Chocolate wrote:

Mark III wrote:

The Brood has the critique of psychotherapy and 70s-era pop psych pseudo-intellectualism but it's the worst of all the Cronenberg I've seen: badly acted and silly, reading as comic when it is meant to be terrifying. The cult of the guy thinks otherwise.

Viewed through the eyes of 1970s feminist thinking, The Brood is brilliant. Sure, some of the effects and ideas in the film are tied to their time, but that is what makes it such a curio for me. I would suggest giving it another chance.

I probably should. Given my recent glut of middling character dramas, I could stand for any movie that's confrontational about anything. Maybe find a copy of Rabid and finally see that one start to finish.

_________________"The Internet has given everybody in America a voice. For some reason, everybody decides to use that voice to bitch about movies." - Holden McNeil

Sun Apr 13, 2014 5:40 pm

Vexer

Auteur

Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2012 12:02 pmPosts: 3606Location: Zion, IL

Re: General Movie News

Cosmopolis didn't feel like a Cronenberg film at all though, it felt like it was helmed by a first-time director who had no clue WTF they were doing.

Sun Apr 13, 2014 5:59 pm

PeachyPete

Cinematographer

Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2012 8:09 pmPosts: 644

Re: General Movie News

Mark III wrote:

Sexual Chocolate wrote:

Mark III wrote:

The Brood has the critique of psychotherapy and 70s-era pop psych pseudo-intellectualism but it's the worst of all the Cronenberg I've seen: badly acted and silly, reading as comic when it is meant to be terrifying. The cult of the guy thinks otherwise.

Viewed through the eyes of 1970s feminist thinking, The Brood is brilliant. Sure, some of the effects and ideas in the film are tied to their time, but that is what makes it such a curio for me. I would suggest giving it another chance.

I probably should. Given my recent glut of middling character dramas, I could stand for any movie that's confrontational about anything. Maybe find a copy of Rabid and finally see that one start to finish.

Hey! I saw The Brood last October while watching a bunch of horror films. It's late and I don't feel like thinking up anything new and insightful about the movie, so I'm just going to say I kind of agree with you both (although I think the film is much more personal to Cronenberg than either of you seem to) and then copy and paste what I wrote about it at the time. Please excuse the schtick and what you'll likely find as over explaining some of the details around the movie. I was writing with non movie lovers in mind because I'm kind of an idiot who thinks non movie lovers will read my blog:

The Brood is a pretty tough movie to evaluate. On one hand, it’s a very low budget, terribly acted, Canadian horror film from the late 70s that got middling reviews when it was released. On the other, it’s an early David Cronenberg movie (renowned maker of some tremendous horror movies like The Fly and Videodrome), has a central idea that’s really smart and well written, and was recommended to me by none other than Edgar Wright. Now, this might be where you point out that I’ve never actually met Edgar Wright. I don’t care what you say. I read an interview with him where he had nothing but glowing things to say about the film. So, in my mind, he recommended this movie to me, specifically. And we’re good pals. We might even go to the pub later for a pint. See? British lingo. I’m clearly legit.

Anyway, The Brood is about a group of dwarf-like children terrorizing and murdering various people. You eventually find out that this group of children is literally being manifested by one woman’s rage, fear, and duress. This woman is going through a divorce with her husband and has deep seated issues with her parents. She’s secluded herself in what is essentially a cult, with a quack doctor whose only interest in his patients is exploiting them for personal gain. The majority of the movie consists of these “children” wreaking havoc on the people she has anger towards. Cronenberg’s idea here is to show the effects this kind of suppressed rage has on your own children. As this blind rage continues to manifest itself in the form of the titular brood, the daughter caught in the middle of the couple’s divorce is increasingly drawn into the story, until the end where…well, I won’t ruin that for anyone interested. It’s worth noting that Cronenberg was going through his own divorce when the movie was written, and he’s even acknowledged that it’s probably his most autobiographical picture.

It really is a fantastic idea for a movie. The only thing stopping it from being among the best I saw this year is, again, the laughably bad acting. That’s likely because of the low budget, but it doesn’t change how truly terrible it is. That said, if I wasn’t already seeking out David Cronenberg movies in my life (you should be too – He’s. Fucking. Awesome.), I’d make note of who made the movie and be sure to seek out his work.

Mon Apr 14, 2014 12:34 am

H.I. McDonough

Director

Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2009 10:09 pmPosts: 1310

Re: General Movie News

If you thought "Cosmopolis" was hard to sit through, I dare you to try his experimental first 2 features, "Stereo" and "Crimes of the Future."

Does anyone expect X-Men to be good? From what I can see, it would be like if...

Roger Moore travels back in time to meet with Sean Connery. He persuades Connery and Blofeld to stop fighting because they have to unite against the future Stromberg. Days of Future Past combines the actors of the original trilogy, which lasted 6 years, with the actors First Class, which came and went with one entry. But the First Class actors clearly get the majority of screen time in this film.

I'm aware that Future Past is based on literal source material, but the thing is that the original trilogy is much looser and much more just doing its own thing. And I never understood the hate for Last Stand, I thought it was a fine conclusion to the story. Those films stood on their own, but now Singer is trying to push the franchise into a text from the 80s, Watchmen style, that wasn't on anyone's mind when the first films were being made 10 years ago. And how does all this continuity fit in with the standalone Wolverine movies? This is all over the place.

Sounds like Fast 7 should offer some well-earned catharsis for the series. Also looks to be a definitive conclusion. Good.

Wed Apr 16, 2014 1:51 am

Vexer

Auteur

Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2012 12:02 pmPosts: 3606Location: Zion, IL

Re: General Movie News

I wouldn't expect Fast 7 to be the last film in the series as it's Universal's only real dependable franchise at the moment, so I have little doubt there will be more sequels.

I agree that Last Stand wasn't as bad as people made it out to be, I pretty much agree with JB's review of it. I was rather dissapointed with First Class though, it was rather underwhelming at best. Days Of Future Past looks pretty damn awesome though.

Wed Apr 16, 2014 2:03 am

ilovemovies

Producer

Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2009 11:04 amPosts: 2258

Re: General Movie News

MGamesCook wrote:

Does anyone expect X-Men to be good?

No. I think it'll be great.

Aside from Guardians of the Galaxy (which I'm still kind of skeptical about but am very slowly coming around, I'm mixed instead of outright negative), I'm very excited about this year's crop of superhero movies. Captain America: the Winter Soldier was so great, it's going to be hard to top. But both The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and especially X-Men: Days of Future Past look pretty awesome too.

Wed Apr 16, 2014 2:27 am

Vexer

Auteur

Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2012 12:02 pmPosts: 3606Location: Zion, IL

Re: General Movie News

ilovemovies wrote:

MGamesCook wrote:

Does anyone expect X-Men to be good?

No. I think it'll be great.

Aside from Guardians of the Galaxy (which I'm still kind of skeptical about but am very slowly coming around, I'm mixed instead of outright negative), I'm very excited about this year's crop of superhero movies. Captain America: the Winter Soldier was so great, it's going to be hard to top. But both The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and especially X-Men: Days of Future Past look pretty awesome too.

Agreed, I think Guardians looks hilariously entertaining as well.

Wed Apr 16, 2014 2:35 am

ilovemovies

Producer

Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2009 11:04 amPosts: 2258

Re: General Movie News

Again, I want to reiterate, I'm still very skeptical of Guardians of the Galaxy. But I will concede that the trailer is kind of starting to grow on me. Not the first part, where Star lord is arrested, but afterwards. Plus, every time I see that trailer, I get that damn song stuck in my head. Oga chucka, Oga chucka, Ooga, Ooga chuka. I'm hooked on a feeling!

Wed Apr 16, 2014 3:34 am

MGamesCook

Director

Joined: Thu Oct 11, 2012 7:44 pmPosts: 1807

Re: General Movie News

ilovemovies wrote:

MGamesCook wrote:

Does anyone expect X-Men to be good?

No. I think it'll be great.

Aside from Guardians of the Galaxy (which I'm still kind of skeptical about but am very slowly coming around, I'm mixed instead of outright negative), I'm very excited about this year's crop of superhero movies. Captain America: the Winter Soldier was so great, it's going to be hard to top. But both The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and especially X-Men: Days of Future Past look pretty awesome too.

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